RESULTS
Heart rate
Group analysis. The two-factor ANOVA did not reveal significance of (a), meditation vs. nonmeditation (F = 1.35); (b), states (pre vs. during) (F 0.31) or (c), interaction between the two factors (F= 0.50). In contrast, with the paired t-test, comparison of the data of meditation (M) against premeditation (pre-M) for the 18 subjects as a group showed that the heart rate was increased by 2.1 beats per 40 s during M, and the difference was significant (P < 0.02) (see the last row of the column M of Table I). There was no significant change during the non-mediation (NM) period compared to its preceding baseline (paired t-test, two-tailed, see the last row of the column NM of Table 1). A third comparison (M vs. NM) revealed that the heart rate during M was also significantly higher than during NM (P < 0.01, paired t-test, two-tailed, last row of the column of the extreme right of Table 1). Also, since one way of removing the regression of each treatment on its baseline is to analyse the change score of heart rate of the 18 subjects (M-pre-M vs. NM-pre-NM). These data were subjected to analysis using the paired t-test, which revealed that the change scores of M (mean = + 1.4 change of heart rate/ 40 s) were significantly different from the change scores of the NM condition (mean = 0.3 change of heart rate/ 40 s (t (17) 2.97, P < 0.01). Also, the heart-rate values of the meditation condition have a significant correlation with the base line value of the subjects obtained in the pre-meditation period (r = 0.94, P < 0.001 (2)), or in the pre non-meditation sitting period (r = 0.93, P< 0.00 1 (2)).

Individual analysis.
The heart-rate data of each subject were also examined separately. Based on the three criteria mentioned above (Methods section, under data analysis), it was noted that in eight subjects there was a definite trend of increase in heart rate during M, whereas one subject showed a decrease in heart rate during NM.

Other parameters (SR, finger plethysmogram amplitude, respiratory rate) Group analysis (using both two factor ANOVA, as well as the paired t-test) did not reveal a significant effect of meditation compared to its preceding baseline, or to the non-meditation period (P > 0.10 for both tests and in all the comparisons described in detail for heart rate).

The group mean ± S.D. values for these three variables were as follows (1), SR; pre-M = 256.5 ± 62.1 kΩ, M = 246.3 ± 55.8 K, pre-NM = 264.3 ± 47.6 K, and NM = 271.3 ± 41.3 K, (2), Respiratory rate; pre-M = 12.1 ± 2.4 breaths/ 40 s, M = 13.4 + 3.5 breaths /40 s, pre-NM = 11.9 ± 1.8 breaths /40 s, and NM = 12.2 + 2.3 breaths /40 s. (3), Finger plethysmogram amplitude; pre-M = 1.68 ± 0.74 cm, M = 1.24 ± 0.64 cm, pre-NM = 1.72 ± 0.71 cm, and NM = 1.66 ± 0.56 cm.

Individual level analysis (based on the three criteria cited in the Methods section) has been summarized in Table II. It is given below in detail. (1), SR; During M, 5 subjects showed a decrease and 3 showed an increase. In contrast, during NM 7 subjects showed an increase and 3 a decrease. (2), Respiratory-rate changes occurred during M (but not during NM), i.e., 4 subjects showed a decrease, one showed a increase. (3), Finger plethysmogram amplitude; during M, 4 subjects showed a decrease, whereas 2 subjects showed an increase during NM.